Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Andy Daniel's Launch - This Is It

La Ressource, Dennery Saint Lucia. October 2, 2011:
If there were any lingering doubts that the United Workers Party was going to win the next general elections then this Sunday’s launching of Dennery North candidate Andy Daniel would have erased all of this from the memory of those non believers. A sea of yellow, reminiscent of William Wordworth’s daffodils “that stretched in never ending line” to welcome the newest kid on the political block – and who just happens to be their beloved son. And “tens of thousands they were at a glance, tossing their heads in a spritely dance”. Well, “spritely dance” is an understatement. The waves on the East coast roared but could not drown the carnival like atmosphere of persons on the grounds of the La Ressource Roman Catholic Church who came from near and far to make an emphatic statement that Andy has their nod.

And what a show Sunday’s activity turned out to be. The weather was fine to set fair day with much heat, inviting the imbibing of liquids of various colours. Hundreds of buses and minivans all bedecked in political campaign paraphernalia snaked through the hills and valleys with catch phrases blaring from their music systems all in support of their favourite candidates. Unofficially, Guy Joseph’s entourage with well over eighty vehicles stole the day, albeit with a very slim majority, with Dr. Kieth Mondesir following a close second.

But the day belonged to Andy Daniel who in his formative years had been preparing himself for the opportunity to serve the constituents of Dennery North and the wider community. Andy is a founding member of Youth for Development in that community. He also served as Treasurer and later President of the Students’ Branch of the National Youth Council. He could not have received a better initiation into service for the people.

And the candidate from Dennery North did not disappoint. He was introduced on stage by his young son Andy Daniel Junior who extolled the wise counsel of his father that of “never competing with others but only oneself” and to “strive always to be the best that one can be.”

Andy Daniel Senior traced his boyhood growing up in the community where at the age of fifteen was a member of the Dennery North Development Committee. He told the mammoth crowd that his task is “to enlighten the people of the valley so that tyranny and oppression will vanish”. He said the people of his constituency are the ones to decide who they wanted to represented them and he is firm in the belief that they had decided to put their trust in him in the upcoming elections. He assured his large following that together they will make progress and as his theme song says” I’ll be there to protect you.”

And when the rally was all said and done, I just could not erase the memory of “a host of yellow flambeau T shirts”. Well done Andy, you have our support.

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